# End-to-End Testing for Spring Boot apps with Playwright in VS Code **URL:** \ **Category:** Content Creators\ **Tags:** visual-studio-code\ **Created:** [18 August 2026 14:00 UTC](https://www.artofsm.art/t/end-to-end-testing-for-spring-boot-apps-with-playwright-in-vs-code/22829 "2026-08-18T14:00:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![merefield](https://www.artofsm.art/user_avatar/www.artofsm.art/merefield/32/74_2.png) [@merefield](https://www.artofsm.art/u/merefield)\ **Post date:** [18 August 2026 14:00 UTC](https://www.artofsm.art/t/end-to-end-testing-for-spring-boot-apps-with-playwright-in-vs-code/22829/1 "2026-08-18T14:00:24Z")
[![](https://www.artofsm.art/uploads/default/original/3X/b/c/bc6c87ecec90bcd8abefc116671bc8e13516dc52.jpeg "End-to-End Testing for Spring Boot apps with Playwright in VS Code") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGUwr6UhmUI) The video demonstrates how to perform end-to-end testing of a Spring Boot to-do application using Playwright integrated with GitHub Copilot within Visual Studio Code, showcasing setup, test creation, and execution with real browser interactions and trace logs. It highlights the seamless integration of unit, integration, and browser-driven tests, providing developers with confidence in both backend functionality and user experience. ---
**Author:** ![merefield](https://www.artofsm.art/user_avatar/www.artofsm.art/merefield/32/74_2.png) [@merefield](https://www.artofsm.art/u/merefield)\ **Post date:** [18 August 2026 14:20 UTC](https://www.artofsm.art/t/end-to-end-testing-for-spring-boot-apps-with-playwright-in-vs-code/22829/3 "2026-08-18T14:20:43Z")
The video demonstrates how to perform end-to-end testing of a Spring Boot application using Playwright integrated with GitHub Copilot, all within Visual Studio Code. It begins by setting up the necessary environment, including installing the Java Development Kit, relevant Java and Spring Boot extension packs, and the Playwright MCP extension for browser control. The presenter emphasizes verifying the publisher before installation and trusting the server when prompted to ensure smooth operation. Next, the video explores the structure of the sample to-do app’s page, highlighting the use of stable test IDs on key elements like inputs, buttons, rows, and checkboxes. These IDs enable precise targeting of page controls without relying on visual styling, which is crucial for reliable automated testing. Before proceeding with browser-driven tests, the existing unit and integration tests are run to confirm that the backend services and Spring Web Flow are functioning correctly. To enable real browser testing, the Spring Boot application is launched from the Spring Boot dashboard within Visual Studio Code, making the app live on localhost port 8080. The Playwright tools are then verified as ready in Copilot chat’s agent mode, allowing GitHub Copilot to control the browser. The user crafts a detailed prompt instructing Copilot to open the app, verify the page title, add a task, complete it by toggling the checkbox, and finally delete the task while verifying each step through assertions. As Copilot executes the test, the Playwright browser visibly interacts with the app, performing the specified actions and confirming the expected outcomes. The video reviews the trace logs from the Playwright tool calls, which provide a reliable record of each step, including loading the app, adding and completing the task, deleting it, and verifying the absence of the task afterward. This trace confirms that the end-to-end test successfully simulates a user’s journey through the app. Finally, the Spring Boot application is stopped from the dashboard, while Playwright remains installed for future use. The video concludes by highlighting the seamless integration of unit, integration, and browser-driven tests within Visual Studio Code, powered by GitHub Copilot and Playwright. This approach offers developers confidence not only in their code’s correctness but also in the actual user experience, inviting viewers to consider what browser workflows they might automate with Copilot in their own projects. ## Useful Links - [GitHub Copilot Java MCP Demo Repository](https://github.com/microsoft/github-copilot-java-mcp-demo) — Central to the video as the demo project used for testing. - [Microsoft Build of OpenJDK](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/java/openjdk/download) — Required Java runtime environment for the demo. - [Extension Pack for Java (Visual Studio Marketplace)](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=vscjava.vscode-java-pack) — Necessary VS Code extension for Java development in the demo. - [Spring Boot Extension Pack (Visual Studio Marketplace)](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=vmware.vscode-boot-dev-pack) — Required VS Code extension for Spring Boot support in the demo. - [GitHub Copilot for Visual Studio Code](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=GitHub.copilot) — Core tool enabling AI-assisted testing in the demo.